


[Meta] Thoughts On Wands

by cassie5squared



Series: Potter Meta: Thoughts on the Wizarding World [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 10:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11057460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassie5squared/pseuds/cassie5squared
Summary: Why the size of a wand really can matter. Several fairly expected innuendos.





	[Meta] Thoughts On Wands

People often chuckle when talking about the size of wands, often because they make for good dirty jokes. (Dur hur hur, get it out of your systems now please kthanx. :P ) JKR herself has her wandlore expert, Garrick Ollivander, explain that short wands often indicate a personal failing in one’s character, while long wands tend to lend themselves to large, flashy personalities.

But there’s also a practical side to wand length that not many people seem to consider.

Long wands often look more impressive, and certainly add a flair to their owner’s wandwork. I’m one of those people who’s actually had a wand made, based on the specifications of the wand I was assigned by Pottermore. (For the record, it’s holly and phoenix feather, 14 and a half inches, slightly springy.)

In any case, 14.5 inches may not sound like a lot, but once you actually have one you begin to understand that wands are pretty awkward to manage at times.

It’s impossible to find a Muggle jacket or coat with pockets big enough for a wand that size, and even most handbags are too small. I resorted to searching out an extra-large one just to be able to carry my wand around without breaking the Statute of Secrecy. I’d guess that wizarding robes would have pockets designed with the expectation that people are going to use them for wands, and are therefore deep enough that most wands will fit comfortably without risk of falling out.

Smaller wands, therefore, are generally more practical for concealment and everyday purposes. But it doesn’t stop there.

In a battle, matters can often be decided by who’s fastest. It goes almost without saying, then, that the easier and quicker it is to draw and aim a wand, the better chance someone stands. This is where long wands can cause problems, as I have discovered through personal experience.

It may be measured in fractions of a second, but the extra time it takes to pull a long wand clear of a pocket/belt/etc., and then get it into position to cast a spell, may be the difference between winning and losing. It’s far easier for the tip of a long wand to get caught up in clothes, or to hit something nearby as you swing your arm to take aim.

Of course, it’s possible to compensate for these issues, with plenty of time and  practice - it also helps if you’re not clumsy as hell - but if you wind up with a wand longer than your own forearm, you’re probably going to take quite a while to get used to handling it.

(A personal theory is that this may explain why Lucius Malfoy was so often beaten in a fight; his wand is the longest known in the entire canon at 18 inches and he doesn’t seem like the type to put much effort into practicing duelling to compensate.)

I would welcome comments from others who would like to give any input on this matter!


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